Tinea of feet and hands is a kind of fungal dermatopathy on the feet and hands, which is superficial skin infection mainly caused by Epidermophyton, Microsporum and Trichophyton. The incidence of tinea pedis is higher than that of tinea manum, which is common skin disease. The incidence of tinea pedis could nearly accounts for 80% in tinea disease. The incidence of tinea disease in south China is higher that in the north due to wet climate. The incidence in workers wearing rubber shoes in some places is as high as 80%. The national average incidence in high-incidence area of tinea of feet and hands is as high as 30%, and the age of affected population ranged from 25 to 45. The recurrent attacks of this disease disturbs people's lives in a long term and bring tremendous mental burden to patients.
Current pharmaceuticals for treatment of tinea of hands and feet can be classified as western medicine preparations and traditional Chinese medicine preparations. Among western medicine preparations, the representative medicine are Miconazole, Lamisil and Fluconazole. But most western medicine preparations possess certain hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, which will be harmful to liver and kidney functions with long-term application. For example, due to serious hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, the clinical application of Fluconazole is gradually decreasing. Such new-generation of western medicine preparations as Miconazole, although it has relatively mild toxicity and fewer adverse reactions, long-term application will still bring about certain toxicity and adverse reactions and high relapse rate as well as high reoccurrence rate.
Modern pharmacology study methods have discovered that many traditional Chinese medicines, such as Sophora flavescens Ait, Fructus Kochiae, Densefruit Pittany Root-bark and Cortex Phellodendri, have significant inhibitory effects on various dermatophyte. According to traditional Chinese medicine theories and treatment experiences summarized from long-term clinical application, many traditional Chinese medicine preparations for treating tinea of feet and hands have been developed, which were made into many effective dosage forms Chinese patent medicine such as tincture, liquid medicine and cream with advanced modern extraction techniques.
Current traditional Chinese medicine preparations for treatment of tinea of feet and hands include compound Pseudolaric tincture, Gehong Medical liquid for the tinea pedis and elixir water of tinea. But the efficacy of these preparations is not satisfactory due to simple preparation techniques.
Along with increased attention has been paid onto the modernization study of traditional Chinese medicine, and people have raised their healthcare awareness and pursued natural medicines, green medicines. The toxic and adverse effects of western medicine have been gradually discovered. Now there are increasing traditional Chinese medicine varieties under researching, however, few traditional Chinese medicine preparations can meet the requirement of satisfactory treatment in tinea of feet and hands.
At present, the biggest problem in therapeutic drugs for treatment of tinea of feet and hands is high relapse rate of the disease, which is chronic disease for most patients and can't be solved by all existing medicines. The long application period of current medicines influenced therapeutic effects.